Patient experience
The data content that the portal generates enables a richer discussion with patients encouraging them to engage with the pharmacy team to understand health, wellness, and/or medication issues. Presentation of results is clear and intuitive. The colour-coded dashboard format encourages patient interaction.
The BP+ platform promotes lifestyle choices and risk factors in a way that encourages patients to take ownership of their health. In our experience, routine monitoring clearly demonstrates the benefits of healthier lifestyle choices and/or medication.
“The BP+ platform promotes lifestyle choices and risk factors in a way that encourages patients to take ownership of their health.”
Value-added tool
In comparison with standard methods of measuring cardiovascular health, the technology brings powerful non-invasive diagnostics into the community pharmacy setting, opening up a wide range of patient-focused services. There is an obvious fit with existing NHS models for new medicines, medicines use reviews, and health checks.
The greater depth of understanding that the BP+ platform brings can be applied to new models of care, potentially these could be NHS integrated pathways or on a private basis. Examples include: periodic monitoring of cardiovascular health (to support lifestyle or medication interventions), diagnosis of cardiovascular health where existing medication regimens are proving ineffective, early detection of cardiovascular risks (such as atrial fibrillation).
In my experience, patients quickly see the potential and see the pharmacy team as a trusted clinical resource. BP+ opens up opportunities to support patients in making decisions about their cardiovascular health and long-term conditions. It also opens up broader opportunities to support patients. Suddenly you are a valued resource being consulted seriously on a wide range of topics!
Improved interventions and patient outcomes
The depth and precision of the technology enables clarity of many issues. If it’s a new medicine, what’s the patients starting point (cardiovascular profile), how is the medicine expected to work, and how will we monitor progress? If there are unexpected consequences the technology will often show what’s happening and facilitate corrective action (via referral back to the GP).
If used as a routine part of any consultations with a cardiovascular component, there is the potential for early detection of new health risks such as AF or arterial disease. Indeed, we have had several examples of the detection of previously undiagnosed conditions requiring
prompt medical intervention.
Opportunities
By adding new dimensions to routine pharmacy services and interventions, the platform makes it clear how pharmacists can really make a difference – to support patients managing their health for the better. Better NMS, better MUR, better health checks. The platform also opens up opportunities for private services such as periodic monitoring and coaching of patients for improved health outcomes.
In the future NHS it will be essential that community pharmacy finds a role in integrated primary care to become a trusted and important part of the network. Platforms such as BP+ clearly establish a capability and expertise to make this happen. In the eyes of patients, pharmacists become a trusted resource within easy reach, and all sorts of opportunities open up to support their overall health and wellbeing. This can be in OTC/retail or other new services.
I strongly encourage you to continue the development of BP+ platform.
Robin Mitchell
Director of Victoria Park Pharmacy
Patient experience
I have been living with high blood pressure for the past 2 years, whilst it is not particularly debilitating, it is a concern for me and my doctors. The stress of modern-day life.
I was prescribed Ramipril and Amlodipine for high blood pressure, however almost immediately my ankles started swelling and this was having a detrimental effect on my sporting activities. Ironically, it’s these activities that I know will naturally help to lower the blood pressure in conjunction with the prescribed drugs. My pharmacist suggested the Amlodipine could be the cause of the ankle swelling and I decided to pause taking them until I could discuss other options with my GP; they were that intrusive. The pharmacist also suggested regular cardiovascular screenings to monitor the effect of stopping the Amlodipine along with a small change in lifestyle, to which I agreed.
“I cannot recommend this new type of heart health monitoring enough.”
I was astonished at the depth of information this new type of heart/blood pressure check revealed and the actual process took less than a minute. I could see on a daily basis how the stiffness of my arteries was affected by not taking Amlodipine and how my blood pressure started to increase within the first two days.
I was unhappy to restart the Amlodipine after my week of monitoring and consulted my GP to discuss the options. At this stage I mentioned the voluntary monitoring program I had enrolled in and discussed the easily understandable results it presented me with (if a layperson can convey the information presented by the heart/blood pressure monitor in a manner which the GP can understand, that has to be good). My GP was intrigued by the device and I have sent them the weeks test results for the practice to peruse, and he agreed with the stopping of the Amlodipine.
A combination of a small change in lifestyle and the low dosage of Ramipril are having the desired effect and my blood pressure is now within the normal parameters. However, it was a direct result of the clearly understandable information the heart/blood pressure monitor provided me with that had me started on this lifestyle changing journey.